Questor Insurance News

What's the world’s Best City for Culture? It’s London....of course

With its wealth of museums and art galleries and a rich architectural history in general, London has often been the ‘go-to’ destination for culture vultures looking for their next fix.

Now the capital has received official recognition for its status as a city loved by culture-seekers across the world, after being named Best City for Culture at the Leading Culture Destinations inaugural awards.

Commenting on London’s triumph, Mayor of London Boris Johnson, said: “London is home to some of the best museums and galleries in the world, with an unrivalled range of top-notch art, photography and installations that attract millions of visitors from around the globe.”

London took its place among a number of other culture-focused world cities, including Paris, New York, Miami, Shanghai, Oslo, Berlin and Mexico City, with the Tate Modern standing out as one of its most shining examples of London’s “leading edge” on culture.

A selection of award-winners from around the globe included those below:

Leading Culture Destination 2014

Tate Modern – London

Leading Culture Destination for Exhibitions & Programming

Tate Modern – London

Leading Culture Destination for Architecture & Spatial Design

Guggenheim Museum – Bilbao

Leading Culture Destination for Eating & Drinking

Palais de Tokyo – Paris

Culture identified as one of the ‘key drivers’ for tourism

Commenting on the important role that culture plays in the tourism industry, Florian Wupperfeld, co-founder of Leading Culture Destinations, said:

“Culture is one of the key drivers for tourism, and a revolution in the sector has seen museums become not just places of cultural pilgrimage but social hubs, places to dine, to read and to explore the arts through the new digital technologies - and sometimes even to drop your children off for a sleep over, a change which we celebrate with our awards.”

A study conducted earlier this year by the NewcastleGateshed Initiative found that almost half of city breakers (47%) indulge “culture cramming” on their weekend getaway. A further 34% go even further, managing to pack in their annual 'cultural intake' over an average 3-day break.